The present invention concerns a holder of small size sound device for holding small size sound devices integrated into portable phone, personal handy-phone system (PHS), personal digital assistant (PDA) or the like, more particularly receiver, speaker, buzzer or similar devices, or module devices integrating them with a vibrator, on a substrate or in a case and connecting them electrically.
Conventionally, small size sound devices used for portable phone, portable communication apparatus or the like are received inside a holder made of rubber elastic element, then the holder is affixed to a substrate or a case, and electrodes of the small size sound device and those of the substrate are connected by soldering lead wires.
However, the conventional connection method is low in productivity and high in manufacturing cost, because fine lead wires are soldered by hand. Moreover, lead wires require large mounting space, which is contradictory to the recent requirement of portable apparatus miniaturization.
For the case when the small size sound device is a microphone, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. HEI 9 - 504661, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. HEI 10 - 233828, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. HEI 11 - 41682 describe microphone holders wherein a holder portion for holding a microphone and a elastic conductive connector for electrically connecting both electrodes of the microphone and substrate are integrated.
On the contrary, small size sound devices, particularly receiver, speaker, buzzer or similar devices, or module devices integrating them with a vibrator have a hole called sound hole perforated in the main case, as it is necessary to evacuate air vibration generated by the device inner vibration to the outside. However, these conventional microphone holders could not be used, because they obstruct the sound hole on the back face of the small size sound device.
Moreover, as the main case of small size sound devices is metallic, it has been necessary to test the leak of electric insulation with the electrode of the back face by applying a probe.
The present invention intends to solve the problems mentioned above, and has an object to provide a holder for small size sound devices, particularly receiver, speaker, buzzer or similar devices, or module devices integrating them that will not obstruct the acoustically required hole on their back face, and additionally, that will allow to simplify the mounting process, reduce the production cost, reduce the mounting position space of small size sound devices, and simplify the leak test of small size sound devices.
In other words, it concerns a holder integrating a holder portion for holding a small size sound device and an elastic conductive connector for electrically connecting said small size sound device, wherein an acoustically required communication sound hole is provided on a point opposed to the sound hole on the back face of the small size sound device.
Further, it relates to a holder of small size sound devices provided with a test electrode section used for leak test of small size sound device main case, separately from the elastic conductive connector used for connection between electrodes of small size sound devices and those of the substrate.
Still further, it relates to a holder of small size sound devices, wherein the holder portion is made of rubber elastic element or synthetic resin, while the elastic conductive connector and/or the test electrode section is composed of rubber elastic element and conductive medium.
Still further, it relates to a holder wherein the conductive medium of the elastic conductive connector and/or the test electrode section is magnetic conductive element.
Still further, it relates to a holder characterized by that ribs are formed on the outside face of the holder portion thereof to obtain air-tightness, water-tightness and acoustic insulation With the chamber of the case.
The acoustically required communication sound hole of the present invention is a space not obstructing the sound hole on the bottom face and/or the side face of small size sound devices, and made by perforating a through hole or forming concave groove on the holder. The number and size of through hole or groove are selected conveniently in view of designing.
According to the present invention, by providing a test electrode section used for leak test of small size sound device it-self, separately from the elastic conductive connector used for connection between electrodes of small size sound devices and those of the substrate, leak test is enabled only by applying to the substrate electrode of the leak test substrate to which a resistance meter is connected, even after the mounting of the small size sound device to the holder.
The magnetic conductive element composing the elastic conductive connector and/or test electrode section of the present invention comprises all conductive material presenting magnetism, including magnetic metal particles or magnetic metal complex. When magnetic conductive material is used as conductive medium, a holder portion comprising an elastic conductive connector and/or test electrode section and a rubber elastic element can be formed integrally by a single molding process by injecting magnetic conductive material blended in liquid non-set rubber elastic element into a holder forming die, specifying the conductive passage of the elastic conductive connector and/or test electrode section by magnetically orientating the magnetic conductive material by applying magnetic force to the desired points, and thereafter, by setting the elastic element.